Three converted tries helped Cambridge register their second win of the season as Crawshay’s Welsh XV were seen off 30-19 last night.

After a couple of heavy defeats to strong Trinity College Dublin and Northampton Saints sides, the university were keen to enjoy a bit more possession and show what they can do as an attacking unit against the Welsh invitational side.

But it was the visitors who were quickest out of the traps and needed little more than a minute to get the first try of the match, centre Oris Nawaqaliva

bursting through to score.

The students put that early disappointment behind them and a good contest ensued.

There were plenty of crunching tackles executed by players on both sides, while captain Daniel Dass and Charlie Amesbury, who operated in the centres rather than at full-back, went on some charging runs to push Crawshay’s back.

On a crisp evening, you could see the steam from the bodies in the scrum rising into the night sky, but Fraser Gillies kept a cool head in the heat of battle to slot over three penalties as the Light Blues got the lead.

Another blistering surge from Dass resulted in him being held up on the line, but, from the five-metre scrum, the ball was worked to Richard Bartholomew and he dotted down.

Cambridge continued to dominate as the first half drew to a close and they were rewarded for their perseverance with a second try.

Having worked the ball well from side to side, they went in for the kill and Sebastian Tullie produced a nice feint to create a gap and go under beneath the posts.

Cambridge continued where they had left off at the start of the second period, with Brian Du Toit going over and the reliable Gillies converting for a third time.

There was a lengthy stoppage following a head injury to Cambridge winger Simon Davies and it was the visitors who ended the match the stronger.

A couple of tries saw them reduce the deficit, but the Light Blues weathered the storm to see it out.